Card-index



G; WOODHOUS'E.

I CARD INDEX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 20. Me.

Patented Jan. 13,- 1920.

00 M MW a 30 f M 7 w ,1 4 a a 4 1 ported, although when carried by the loops,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE woonnousn, or BUTTE, MONTANA.

CARD-INDEX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

Application filed September 20, 1918. Serial No. 254,945.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WOODHOUSE, a subject of Great Britain, who has declared his intentionof becoming a citizen of the United States, residing at Butte, in the county of Silver Bow and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful leaves are so retained as to be easily detached and removed when desired.

Another object of the invention is the production of a card index, wherein a plurality of loops are employed, while the cards or leaves are slotted at their ends to. form tongues received by the loops, thus causing the cards or leaves to be detachably supthey may be easily swung to permit of free access thereto, thus allowing the device to be used as an album, card index, book or any other desired device, wherein looseleaves or removable cards are used.

One practical form of construction and assembly of the present invention will be hereinafter described and is illustrated in the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the card 1 index, showing the same in use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof illustrating the manner in which the cards are supported.

Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary plan view of a portion of one of the cards.

Fi 4 is a plan view of the blank from which one of the loops is formed, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through a portion of the device, illustrating specifically the manner in which one of the 100 s is sup orted and the. engagement of t e cardt erewith.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention about to be described, 10 indicates the support-ing back of the card index having openings 11 adjacent one marginal edge thereof, whereby the back 10 may be efliciently supported upon a supporting wallor desk, or may be employed in a book, at which time the back may be swung similarly to a leaf and then access may be had to all of the cards carried upon the back, or

the back 10 may be carried upon a rack or,

supported in any other way desired.

Each card 12 is provided with slots 13 extending thereinto from its side edges, thus forming the tongues 14 which are in transverse alincment with each other, as illustrated in Fig. 3. It shou1d be noted that the slots 13 are slightly enlarged at their outer ends to facilitate the. passing of the retaining loops into the slots, as will be hereinafter explained.

Attention is invited to Fig. 4;, wherein is shown the blank from which a, loop is formed. It will be seen that each loop 15 comprises a rear section 16 and a forward section 17 each loop being folded at its central portion as indicated by the central line in Fig. 4, thus forming a loop. The

forward section 17 is cut away at one end,

as it is notched asindicated at 18, thus causing a portion of the. forward section 17 to be shorter than the corresponding portion of the rear section 16, as indicated clearly in Fig. 1. These loops being folded cause the forward sections to engage the rear sections thereof andat this time, suitable securing elements 19 are passed through the loops and also through the back 10, as indicated in Fig. 5. It is of course obvious that any suitable securing elements desired may be employed, such as eyelets, rivet or like securing means, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is only desired to have securing means which will firmly hold the loops in a looped condition and to be assembled'and operative under all conditions.

When the device is in use, the loops are arranged in pairs, as it is necessary to employ a pair of such loops to support each card or leaf. As indicated in Fig.1, the loops of each pair are arranged in horizontal alinement with each other, although of course, they may be arranged in vertical alinement if the device is to be employed as a loose-leaf ledger or the like, audit is flirthe loops are carried ad jaceut each side edge of the boar-([10, causing vertical rows of loops to be providcd,'thus permitting a like number of cards to be supported.

After the loops have been fixed upon the board .as above specified, it will be noted that the cards can then be connected to these loops. This is accomplished by taking a card and slightly bowing the same, to allow one of the tongues 14 to engage the section 17 of the loop which projects beyond the portion 18 of the forward portion. Accordmgly, this projectin rear sectlon Wlll constitute a guide for directing the tongue into the loop, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 for at this time, the loops will be received within the-slots 13 of a card. By this connection,

the card may be very easily removed when necessary, for by a corresponding bowing of the card intermediate its ends, the tongues 14 will be withdrawn from the loops 15.

When the cards are carried by the loops under normal conditions, however, it may be necessary to have access to both sides of the cards or to a desired card, for writing or reading any suitable subject matter upon such card. Accordingly, the card may be swung, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5, since the loops 15 are formed of some flexible and durable material. As the loops are swung however, they will permit the cards to be moved to extend in a substantially opposite direction to that which they normally assume, thus permitting free access to either side of the desired, card. When the opera.- tion is completed, the cards may be returned to their normal positions, as indicated in Fig. 1. v

Since the loops are of a'flexible construction, it is obvious the scope of the invention does not merely confine to the securement of the loops upon a supporting back or for use in connection with a card index, as herein illustrated and described but the device can be used in the form of a loose-leaf ledger, at which time, the loops can be secured to the covers of the ledger. Such a device as herein illustrated, may also be carried upon a suitable rack or the loops may be used in albums of post cards, photographs, or for any other purposes for it is only necessary to slit the side portions of the elements to be retained, thus providing the tongues which may be. easily inserted into the loops mounted upon the supporting device. I

It will be seen by the description ,just given, that thedevice hereinbefore described, may be used for any number of purposes without departing from the spirit of the invention and owing to the simplicity of construction, it may be manufactured at a minimum cost. The loops are adapted for use in a great many ways, and will very easily support the cards in a releasable engagement, although the cards may be swung directing the tongues of the cards into the loops, thus overcoming a tedious operation of inserting the tongues which might otherwise result. Also, the loops may be spaced apart to accommodate cards of various sizes, and the arrangement of the loops is such as to prevent .the loops from interfering with the proper operation of each other.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may be considered the preferred. or approved, form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts.

materials, diemnsions, et cetera, as .may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, flexible loops carried uponsaid support, a card having slots extending thereinto from its side edges, thus forming oppositely extending alined. tongues, saidtonguesbeing carried by said loops, whereby the cards will be supported.

2.-In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, loops carried upon said support, a card/having tongues formed thereon, said tongues being carried by said loops, thus causing the card to be movably supported.

3. In a "device of the class described, the combination of a support, flexible loops carried upon said support, said loops having notched portions. and portions extending beyond the notched portions, and a card having tongues thereon for being received by said loops, the projecting portions of said loops constituting guides for projecting said tongues forward into the loops, whereby the card is removably supported.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, loops carried by said support. each loop being formed from a blank sheet of material and comprising a rear section and a forward section, said forward section being notched at a point adjacent the rear section. thus causing the rear section to project beyond the notched portion, a card having slots extending into its ends, thus forming oppositely. extending alined tongues. said tongues being inserted into the loops for releasably supporting the card, the rear projecting portions of the loops constituting guides for ,directing the tongues into the loops, thus "allowing the card to be swung upon said support by the flexing of said loops.

5. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a support, loops carried upon said support, a card having slots extending thereinto from its side edges, thus forming oppositely extending tongues, said tongues being carried by said loops whereby the cards will be supported.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, loops carried upon said support, each loop being formed from a strip of material folded upon itself, and a card having tongues thereon, said tongues being carried by said loops, thus causing the cards to be movably supported.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, loops carried upon said support, each loop being formed of a strip of material folded upon itself, said loops having guide portions thereon and a card having tongues thereon, said tongues being guided by said guide portions to'project into said loops thus causing the card to be movably supported.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, loops carried upon said support, each loop being formed of a strip of material folded upon itself, a side edge of each loop being cut away to form guide portions, and a. card having tongues formed thereon, said tongues being directed by said guide portions into said loops, thus causing the card to be movably supported.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE WOODHOUSE. 

